1781Who is recognized as the first Colonel of the U.S. Army and was taken prisoner in Canada during the American Revolution?
Brigadier General William Thompson, born in County Meath, Ireland and later a resident of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, holds the distinction of being the first Colonel commissioned by the Continental Congress for the "army of the United Colonies"—the forerunner of the U.S. Army. Thompson’s military service during the American Revolution was marked by both valor and misfortune; after leading troops at the Battle of Trois-Rivières in Québec on June 8, 1776, he was captured and spent four years as a prisoner of war. His legacy endures through memorials in Carlisle, New York City, and Trois-Rivières, and a striking Celtic cross and commemorative granite slab at his gravesite honor his unique history as both a celebrated officer and a long-imprisoned war hero. On September 3, 2025, his life and legacy will be remembered on the 244th anniversary of his death—more than 250 years after his groundbreaking commission.
